Funding, revenue sharing top of mind following SUMA convention

By Tyler Marr

February 19, 2017 1:07 PM

Councillor Jonathan Torresan is pictured during a meeting of city council members in this Meridian Booster file photo. Tyler Marr/Meridian Booster.

Returning from the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) convention in Saskatoon last week, members of city council spoke on some of the highlights and comments they heard from other municipalities across the province.

The SUMA Convention is a gathering of representatives — mayors, councillors, and administration — from communities across Saskatchewan annually, to mingle and discuss matters pertaining to municipal operations and pick the ear of need-be provincial counterparts.

“It was really good,” Mayor Gerald Aalbers said. “Not anything major that we weren’t expecting I guess I will say.”

This message was echoed by councillor Jonathan Torresan, who said it was a “good opportunity to meet other communities who have same or similar problems or very different problems.”

The mayor explained how he and the councillors were able to have rigorous talks with a number of municipalities, share concerns and ideas and reach out to ministers concerning funding needs, such as for the looming wastewater treatment plant.

Aalbers explained how the province and the respective ministers were well aware of the funding application for this project.

However, he did note the application was one of over 400 and added how the ministers explained there was “more fence than paint,” when it came to those seeking money from the province.

“We will be doing our darnedest to present our case to the provincial and federal government on the need for our funding,” he said.

“What we are going to end up with, I will continue right to the bitter end to get as much as we can. We might not get anything….I don’t know that and we will deal with that reality when it finally comes to the final point.”

Adding to this concern was a speech from Premier Brad Wall, who presented some interesting news, noting a projected $1.2-billion deficit for Saskatchewan in 2017 — a rise from the $1-billion projection announced in a fiscal update late last year.

“Everything is on the table,” Wall told reporters after addressing delegates at the convention, making note of possible changes to revenue sharing and PST exemptions.

This news presented a slight “bit of a challenge” in the eyes of the mayor, as he said the city will have to “wait very patiently and see” what the outcome from this may be but did say the city would be receiving less money this year.

“The provinces economy as we know has slowed down, there is a little less tax money being collected, a little less grant money shared with us,” he said.

“The next question is what will the provincial budget on March 22 bring to our funding arrangement. That was asked and we didn’t get a clear definition one way or another…everything is on the table so we are waiting patiently.”

Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers

However, there were some highlights from the events, as councillors during their meeting on Monday discussed how some municipalities were envious of Lloydminster, citing one example as the city being on the lower end of the scale when it came to municipal property taxes and how that money was spent.

“That is a nice compliment to get, and I don’t think it is something your average person is really aware of,” councillor Torresan said.

All and all, Aalbers said the city played a vital role at SUMA and expressed how “we have a strong voice in Saskatchewan,” and how they would “continue to flex that strong voice as best as we can and let our views be heard.”

“We are hoping our message was heard. We will wait and see.”

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